Process of providing tree cavities with monolithic fillings



J. F. McCARTHY.

PROCESS OF PROVlDlNG TREE CAVIT'IES'WITH MONOLITHlC FILLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27. 1920.

1,41%,195, Patent d Apr. 25, 1922.

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Continuation of application exial li'c.

, specification cfLetters latent. Pategntetl Apr. 25, 1922- 388,363, filed March 23, 1929. This application filed October 27,

i I 19243. serial lilo. 19,818.

invented Processes of Providing Tree Cavities with Monolithic Fillings, of which the following is 'a specification.

This application is'a .cpntinuation of aplication, Serial Numher 368,177,. filed arch 23, 1920, and. has hdded thereto lo'nly several additional features not shown in I said application.

This invention i'elates to improvements in the treatment of trees which have been weakened by "decay so that cavities are formed thcrein. If neglected, the decay. will continue throughout the tree and, aided by fungas and insects, will eventually destroy said tree.

proved solid filling, to prevent the side walls of the cavity from spreading apart, to provide a means of keeping the opposite walls of the cavity against the filling at all times,

to avoid surface cracking, and'to give the filling a slight elasticity.

Another object is'to fill the cavity in such a manner that when the tree moves under wind pressure the filling will not crack and drop out but will give slightly.

other important object is to have a solid column'dffilling-which not only will act as a 'will seal the rear walls of the cavit reinforcement in the center of: the tree but at all points, thus making it impossible or any fore a" matter insects or moisture to reach said wdlls. 1 This solid column of filling also confines or prevents the spreading of a di ease of the: tree known as -slime flux which is found in the heart ofthe tree,due toan injuryjto the heartwood and which causes the emission of anfuglylooking liquid, which finds its way to the outside of a sectional filling and not only spoils the appearance of the filling work but kills the bark wherever it touches it. It is known, however, that it kills the cambium layer and eventually the tree. Thissolid portion, in conjunction with other features of construction, absolutely I compressible material and being cut the rest Important objects are to provide an lII1-' metal which will form a watershed, and which will not cause any injury to the tree. The old practice was to cut away or recess the wood near theentrance of the cavity to form a Watershed, butthis method caused injury to the tender cambium layer, due to constant hammering necessary in the recessing operation. I v

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which my improved process of filling a tree over the-old solid filling is illustrated r'- Fig. l is a front view of a tree having an unsound portion or cavity, treated in ac cordance with my improvements.

Fig. 2 is perspective view of difi'erent portions of a tree showing the cavity therein, the tree being out half way through on one elevation at a crevice to disclose the relative positions of the filling, reinforcing rods and of the tree showingfthe ii ling and crevices therein, the latter of ishic pressihle material.

I Fig. i is a perspective detailedview of one of the auxiliary watersheds showing its relative position to the main watersheds, which are represented in outline. In the said drawings 5 indicates an interiorly hollow portion of the trunk of atree having its'internalcavity 10 extendingto contain the comnally of the trunk. y In carrying out my improved process, all

the interior and up and down or longitudidecayed or unsound wood is removed from 100 the-walls oi the cavity 10, then the said walls are disinfected and waterproofed. The walls are then mechanically locked together at vertically spaced points by bolts which are suitably threaded. so that 'two nuts and two '106 washers may be screwedthcreon. In Fig. 1, 7 represents a threaded boltwhich extends through two bolt holes which are drilled in opposite side. walls, a short distance from the exterior edge 6 of said side walls.

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Each bolt 7 which extends through these bolt holes has, at its extremities, nuts 8 and washers 9, which when screwed on" the rod, press against the exterior walls. When the tree moves linden wind pressure, the interior walls of the tree, if not rigidly connected, will move up and down in relation to each other. These walls will also have a tendency to come together. The method hereinafter explained prevents this action of the Walls from cracking the cementitious filling, after said filling has set. f

The bolts 7 are inserted inthe tree at intervals, the intervals depending upon the size of the cavity 10 and the weakness of the tree. The nuts 8 on both ends of said bolts are then screwed on just far enough so thatthey engage the exterior walls of the cavity with a slight pressure.

The main watershed 14 i is then partly enibedded in the entrance walls of the cavity 10 about an inch in from the exterior edges 6 of said cavity. This watershed it extends all the way around the entrance to the cavity. This inserted main watershed i l prevents any water, insects or foreign matter from getting in behind the filling. It is composed of a thin piece of non-corrodible metal, such as zinc, about half an inch wide. It is inserted into the wall about half its width. The other half which projects, being embedded in the filling 11 when the cavity is filled and thus acting as a reinforcement of the outer portion of the filling. This method is quick and inexpensive and the watershed will not crack the cementitious filling.

The cavity 10 is then ready for filling, this being done with a cementitious material 11, which is built up a short distance or to where a crevice or opening 12 is to be left in said filling. Reinforcing rods'20 are then sunk into the filling 11 in suitable arrangement, preferably near the center of the cavity and in such position to absolutely prevent any cracking of the solid portion of the filling and to strengthen the center of the filled tree.

The upper surface 15 of the filling 11 is then slicked oil horizontally for about one quarter to one third the distance back from the outer surface of said filling and an auxiliary watershed 13 is then partly embedded in the upper surface of the filling, this watershed also extending from one quarter to one third the distance back and forming, as it were, the rear wall of the crevice to be subsequently made. i

The auxiliary watersheds 13 that are thus inserted in the crevices 12 are substantially U shaped and are so bent that the side portions 19 thereof will have to be slightly compressed to fit between the inwardly projecting edges of the main watershed 14. Thus the outer ends of these portions 19 will havcl a tendency to press against said edges of the watersheds it and thereby insure a perfeet fitting joint. The extreme ends 16 of the portions 19 are bent at right angles to said portions and contact with the outer sides of the main watersheds 14.

This prevents any insects or tereign matter reaching the walls of the cavity 10 after the compressible material has partly worn away. it also acts as a further safeguard against moisture possibly getting behind the main watershed l t and is a positive preventative against the slime this; exuding from the fillmg. 7

One or more layers of compressible material 1?, such as tar paper, is now laid on the surface 15 of the filling 21. it is so cut that it extends :lrom the outer face of the filling ll. inwardly to the auxiliary water shed 13 and from side wall to side wall of said cavity. The side portions 19 of the auxiliary watershed is project through suit able slits in the compressible material 17' and the rear portion of the watershed projccts above the compressible material.

The filling-in oi the cenientitious material 11 is then continued behind and over the auxiliary watershed and over the con'ipressible material. In this way the tree. is complctely filled and the main and auxiliary the outer ed e of the crevices and c0m- D I I I pressible material. This serves to keep moisture out of the crevices.

When the bolts 7 have been embedded in the cementitious filling 11, and the nuts -8 and washers 9 are engaging the exterior walls of the tree, the tree and filling 11 will have a fixed relation.

While the cementitious filling 11 is hardening it contracts to a slight degree. This must be guarded against near the outer edges ofthe cavity, forward of the main watershed, to prevent the admission of insects and of the cavity 10 from moving through the space left by the setting of the filling 11 when the tree is moving under wind pressure, this movement of the walls when striking against the filling 11 having a tendency to crack said filling and cause pieces of it to fall out.

After putting the bolts 7 intheir place as before stated, the nuts 8were screwed thereon, so as to press slightly against the exterior walls of the tree. When the filling ll has partly hardened or set, the nuts 8 are screwed against the exterior walls of the tree moisture and also to prevent the side walls when said filling has taken its awatershed in the walls so as to close up the space left between the walls of the cavity and the filling 11 by the setting of the latter, and in addition enough to compress the wood of the tree so that, permanent set, the wood will have expanded sulficiently to close up any additional space occasioned by said setting.

The side walls of the cavity are thus locked to the filling and there will be no relative movement between them, either up or down or sidewise. When the tree is bending under wind pressure, the walls of the cavity near the entrance of said cavity will move up or down, depending upon which way the tree is bending. These walls being locked to the filling 11 will carry said filling with them,

and the filling, having a certain amount of.' elasticity due to the compressible material and Watersheds embedded therein, will yield with the Walls where the movement of said walls is greatest; viz., near and at the ,entrance of the cavity.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. An improved process of treating a tree 'having an interior cavity which is formed in the trunk of the tree and e'xtends to the exterior and longitudinally of said tree, which comprises; embedding a watershed in the walls of the entrance of said cavity and closing the cavity with a reinforced slotted fillin 2. Tin improved process of treating a tree having a cavity which is formed in the trunk of the tree and extends to the exterior and longitudinally of said trunk, comprising; mechanically tying together opposite side walls of the cavity at points spaced longi tudinally of the'trunk; partly embedding of the entrance of the cavity, placing vertical reinforcing rods in the cavity, building up within said cavity a cementitious filling, embedding impervious material and rearwardl extending, substantially vertical U-shape watersheds'in said filling at points spaced longitudinally of the filling, and compressing opposite side walls of the cavity against the filling after said filling has hardened.

3. An in'iproved process of treating a tree having a cavity which is formed in the trunk of the tree and extends to the exterior and longitudinally of said treefsaidfprocess consisting ofmechanically tying the opposite side walls of the cavity together at longitudinally spaced points; placing vertical reinforcing rods in the rear of the cavity,

embedding a main watershed in the walls of the entrance of said cavity, filling said cavity with a cementitious material, and at intervals during said filling horizontally finishing oil a portion of the surface of thewatershed in the upper surface of the'filling so that said watershed extends from the main watershed rearwardly to the end ofthe horizontally finished ofi' portion of the surface of the filling; laying upon said portion of the surface of the filling a compressible material, so cut as to allow the sides of the auxiliary watershed to project therethrough.

4. An improved process of treating a tree having a cavity which is formed in the trunk of'the tree and extends to the exterior and longitudinally of said tree, said process consisting of mechanically tying the ,opposite side walls of the cavity together at longitw dinally spaced points; embedding a main watershed in the walls of the entrance of said cavity, filling said cavity with a cementitious material, and at intervals during said filling horizontally finishing ofi a portion of the surface of the filling exterior edge of said filling; partly embedding an auxiliary watershed in the'upper surface of the filling so that said watershed partly'surrounds and extends from themain Watershed rearwardlyto the'end of the flat portion of the surface of the filling; la ing upon said fiat portion of the surface '0 the filling a compressible material so cut as to allow the sides of'the auxiliary watershed to project therethrough.

inwardly from the 5. An improved process of treating a tree' having an interior cavity which is formed in the trunk of the tree and extends to the.

ity and enclosing the protruding portion of 1 I the watershed. v

6. An improved process of treating a tree having an interior cavity which extends to the exterior of said tree, which comprises; embedding a watershed in the Walls of the entrance of said cavity and closing the cavity with a filling.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 12th day of October, 1920,

JEROME F. McCARTHY.

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